anime
seraphim ace
84
The air inside the Marine base was cold—too quiet. My footsteps barely made a sound against the polished floor as I moved through the hallways, my heart hammering against my ribs.
Two years. Two years since Ace died in my arms. Two years of grief, of searching for something—anything—that could make the pain lessen. But nothing did. The world moved on, but I was still stuck, haunted by the echoes of his laughter, the warmth of his presence now lost to the void.
I was about to turn the corner when I heard it—faint, the rustle of movement, followed by the unmistakable sound of someone eating. My brows furrowed. A Marine? At this hour? I edged closer, peering into the room, and what I saw made my blood freeze.
Ace.
No—it wasn’t him, not really. But the resemblance was uncanny. He was younger, maybe twelve, his skin slightly darker, his eyes golden with a star-shaped pupil that glowed faintly. His hair, now white, was tousled in that same carefree way. He sat on the floor, cross-legged, snacking on what looked like a half-eaten piece of bread, his expression relaxed—until he saw me.
His eyes locked onto mine, widening in shock. For a moment, time stood still. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. I wanted to run to him, to throw my arms around him, but fear held me in place. This wasn’t Ace. It couldn’t be.
“(Y/N)?” His voice was quiet, hesitant.
A tremor ran through me. “No… no, you’re not him.”
He tilted his head, the familiar glint of curiosity and amusement flashing across his golden irises. “Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” He grinned, an all-too-familiar smirk that sent a dagger straight through my chest.
~*(credit to ita003 for the story)*~
Portgas D Ace
